Process of dyeing masses of raw fjber and drying the same



June 25, 1940. c, McGHEE ET AL 2,205,958

PROCESS OF DYEING MASSES OF RAW FIBER AND DRYING THE AME Original Filed NOV. 18, 1935 I IN V EN TORS:

Patented June 25, 19 40 7 PROCESS OF DYEING MASSES OF BAW FIBER AND DRYING THE SAME Charles R. McGhee, Gastonia, N. 0., and James oodruflf, Columbus, 6a.; said McGhee assignor to said Woodrufl Application November 18, 1936, Serial No. 111,506 Renewed January 17, 1940 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a process of dyeing masses of raw fiber and drying the same. It is particularly directed to the step of extracting the water from the mass of raw fiber, cotton-for exl ample, before removing it from the kier.

An object of the inventionis to extract the moisture as far as possible from the cotton or other fibrous mass while in the kier and by the use of the same apparatus as is used in the dyeing and washing process.

Another object is to eliminate the step of subjecting the fibrous mass to a moisture extracting process before the final drying after removal' from the kier.

ll Another object is to save time in preparing the cotton or other fibrous material for manufacturing purposes.

Other objects will appear from the following description and drawing, in which the figure is Ia side elevation of an apparatus wherewith the process may be carried out.

In the drawing, l is the usual kier, in which the material to be dyed is contained. Provision is made either 'by making the cover removable or 25 providing a suitable opening forthe material to be introduced or withdrawn.-

A centrifugal pump! has a delivery pipe 3,

preferably without bends or curves therein, lead- I ing into the uppermost part of the kier and an 30 inlet pipe leading from the lowest part of the kier. It is to be noted that the pump 2 is not in the usual position but is swung 90 therefrom to make it possible to discharge liquid straight from the pump to the uppermost part of the kier a and straight out of the bottom of the kier into the circulating pipe lines, the only reversal of direction being in the pump itself.

A dye solution tank is supported, for example, on the pipe 3, as shown, and a pipe 5 leads from the bottom of the solution tank to the .pipe I with which it communicates. The pipe 5 has a valve 6 intermediate its length for opening or closing the pipe 5 as desired;

A three-way valve I is' interposed in the pipe 45 4 between the pipe 5 and the kier. By means of this valve communication may be had between the kier I and the centrifugal pump 2, or be-.

tween the kier I and an outlet 8, to the atmosphere or waste pipe. o Into the delivery pipe 3 opens a steam pipe :4

communicating with a source of live steam and having a valve (not shown) for turning the same off and on. If desired a pipe I leading from a source of compressed air and a pipe ll leading 55 from a source of water may also open into the delivery pipe 3. Valves in these pipes provide for opening and closing the same.

A motor not shown drives the centrifugal pump which is kept in operation throughout the proc- 5 ess.

In carrying out the dyeing and drying process. dye solution isput into the tank 5 and cottonor other material into the kier. Valve 6 is opened to allow the dye solution to enter the system through a pipe 5' and valve 1 is turned 10 to afford communication between the kier and the centrifugal pump. The dye solution is thus circulated through the cotton, the valve 3 being opened only to supply the solution'after which it is closed. When the dyeing of the cotton or other material is complete, the dye solution is allowed to run to waste through the outlet 3, valve .1 being turned to shut off communication with the pump and open communication between the kier and the outlet 8. Water of about atmospheric temperature is circulated through the system to wash the cotton the water being admitted either through the solution tanks 5 and valve-6 or through the water pipe H and being forced through the cotton and out of the waste outlet 8 by the centrifugal pump 2. This is continued until the water at the outlet is clear.

The above process leaves the cotton with an excess of moisture and it is an important object of this invention to extract this excess 'moisture.

For this purpose live steam is introduced into the uppermost'portion of the kier'by pipes! and 3, centrifugal pump 2 aiding in its delivery.

The temperature of the kier and of the cotton therein is, at the moment of introduction of the :steam, that of the cold water used in the washing. Hence, the live..- steam heating the upper portion of the kier and eventually of thecotton produces a great diflerential of temperature between the top and bottom of the kier and the 40 steam condensing in the lower part; a differ ential of pressure is also produced and the moisture is thus sucked out of the cotton and flows out through port 8. The process occupies but a short time. The kier would, of course, eventually become heated throughout and the differential of pressure produced by the difierential of temperature would disappear. However, it is found that in the normal sized apparatus as used in the art today,.steam is seen escaping from the outlet at the end of from five to ten minutes. The steam may then be cut of! and the cotton or other fibrous material is found to be soft and flufly and ready for the final drying. Alternatively compressed air may be admitted to the pipe 3 to assist in forcing the steam into and through the kier. Without this treatment it is necessary to subject the cotton after removing it from the kier to squeezing rolls or some'other means for removing excess moisture before subjecting it to the final drying action.

Having fully described our invention we claim:

1. The process of dyeing and drying fibrous material which comprises confining the material, passing a dye solution therethrough, washing the material by passing therethrough water, dispersing live steam at a pressure insufficient to compress the material through the material from one surface toward the opposite surface whereby a temperature differential and hence a pressure differential is established between said. surfaces by the condensation of the steam and the moisture is forced out of the material at the surface opposite to that at which the live steam is introduced and draining said moisture away. f

2. In a process of dyeing and drying a mass of fibrous material in which unheated water is passed through the material after the dyeing is completed the steps of forcing live steam through the material at a pressure insufficient to compress the material to create a temperature differential between that portion where the live steam enters the mass and that portion where it leaves said mass, and hence creating a pressure differential between these points by the condensation of the steam whereby the excess moisture is withdrawn from the mass, and draining saidmoisture.

3. The process of dyeing and drying fibrous material in a kier which comprises the steps of passing a dye solution through the said material. reducing the kier and its contents to at least atmospheric temperature, dispersing live steam at a pressure insufiicient to compress the material from one surface towards the opposite surface, whereby a temperature diflerential and hence a pressure differential is established between said surfaces by the condensation of the steam, and withdrawing the moisture from the material at the surface opposite to that at which the live steam is introduced by means of the sucking action produced by the said differential in pressure.

4. The process of dyeing and drying fibrous material which comprises the steps of confining the said material, passing a dye solution therethrough, washing the material by passing therethrough water of about atmospheric temperature, dispersing live steam at low pressure through the material from one surface towards the opposite surface, whereby a temperature differential and hence a pressure differential is established between said surfaces by the condensation of the steam, and withdrawing the moisture from the material at the surface pposite to that at which the live steam is introduced by means of the sucking action produced by the creation of the said differential in pressure.

5. The process of dyeing and drying fibrous material which comprises the steps of confining 'the material, adding a dye solution, passing the dye solution through the material by means of a pump, washing the material by passing therethrough water of about atmospheric temperature, dispersing live steam at low pressure through the material from onesurface towards the opposite surfaceby means of the said pump, whereby a temperature differential .and hence a pressure differential is established between said surfaces by means of the condensation of the steam, and the moisture is forced out of the material at the surface opposite to that at which the live steam is introduced, and draining said moisture away.

CHARLES R. McGHEE. JAMES W. WOODRUFF. 

